Iraqi President Saddam Hussein slammed US plans to topple his regime and branded the Bush administration as "criminal".

The Iraqi leader, addressing a meeting of his ruling Baath party here, said the statements from the United States "are not those of a great power which respects itself, but they are criminals".

"Criminals do not deserve the respect of people. They have applied this policy (of trying to overthrow the regime) for a long time without announcing it openly. Now, they are making it public," he said.

Saddam was answering a question during a meeting with provincial Baath officials about US media reports that US President George W. Bush had directed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to undertake a comprehensive, covert program to overthrow him, including authority to use lethal force.

He also said ironically that the Americans should "spare the Iraqi people ... then they can concentrate (their strikes) on the leaders".

"If they don't have enough money (to execute their plan), we could consider helping them," Saddam said, then turned serious and told his audience to "not pay any attention" to the US plan.

The US administration is reportedly preparing the pre-emptive military strikes as an option against states like Iraq that are developing weapons of mass destruction and have links to terrorist groups.